


Love is the Best Medicine

by Populaire7



Category: The Grinning Man - Philips & Teitler/Grose & Morris & Philips & Teitler/Grose, The Man Who Laughs (1928)
Genre: M/M, please be merciful in your critiques, this is probably the most nerve-wracking thing i've ever written
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:08:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26667985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Populaire7/pseuds/Populaire7
Summary: A mlm retelling of The Grinning Man
Kudos: 5





	Love is the Best Medicine

“Father, tell me more about the capital.”

“What more is there to tell you, boy? It smells of piss and everyone there would beat you within an inch of your life and charge you for the pleasure.”

“I’m sorry, but it just seems so exciting. We’ve been doing the show for ages, and the Stokes-Croft Faire is the biggest fair in the land! We should have done this ages ago.”

“We won’t be staying long. Three or four days, really.”

“What? Father, but -- why?”

“We’re so close to the new world, Grinpayne. Surely you’re anxious to get there.”

“Yes… yes, of course. But -- don’t you think we could find answers here? About…” Nimble fingers lightly pressed the bandages on his cheek.  _ Damn, I’ll have to change them soon. _

“Let’s not worry about that, boy. We’ve made a fine life for ourselves. We must bury our pain.”

Grinpayne didn’t respond. Ursus had been saying the same thing for 20 years. He couldn’t remember the face of the man who cut him. It had been so close to him, but when the scene replayed in his nightmares, the face was blank, blanketed in shadow. Yet, Grinpayne could  _ feel _ that the answers were close. Or maybe it’s just wishful thinking.

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“So, you’re the famous Grinning Man. Expected you to be… taller.” The Freak-Wrangler, who had introduced himself as Osric, briefly looked Grinpayne up and down. It wasn’t the first time the Grinning Man had gotten a comment like that. In an attempt to not focus on his carved face, they made some comment about his height. He was either too tall or not tall enough. He personally thought he was this side of too tall. Were he… normal, this would be his main insecurity.  _ Huh, if only… _

“This has been a fun chat, but are we clear to set up?” Despite spending his entire career in fairs and festivals, Ursus had very little tolerance for shenanigans.

“Alright, alright. You’re over in Lot 5. ‘Ere’s a map.” Osric thrust some papers in their general direction, already focused on something else. Grinpayne took them before they could fall in the mud.

Once the men had inspected the lot, they began setting up their cart. The Stokes-Croft Faire was not open to the public this early in the day, but there were still people bustling about, freaks of all sorts. Stokes-Croft truly had a wondrous collection. Unlike most of the fairs Grinpayne had performed at, everything and everyone seemed  _ real _ . He couldn’t quite tell when he had developed an eye for it, but it was a game he liked to play.

The only attraction that interested him was the one across from his own.  _ The Blind Seer _ . This one was new. He had seen many seers, and many tricks with the blind, of course. But never a combination of the two. He might go over and say hello.

Grinpayne’s face began to burn. It wasn’t bad enough to require Crimson Lethe, not yet. The concoction his father makes him doesn’t taste as bad as it used to. Or maybe it just takes 20 years to get to used to.

“Why don’t you look around, Grinpayne? We have a few hours to spare.” Ursus looked… distracted. He knew his father hated the capital, but how far did that hatred go? Grinpayne wasn’t going to argue, so he made his way to the seer’s stand. Who knows, maybe this blind seer was the real deal.

The tent was dark, the smells of incense strong. Not much in the way of originality.

“Hello?” Grinpayne called out.

“We’re closed.” A deep voice responded. The voice’s owner came into Grinpayne’s view. If he thought  _ he _ was tall, this man was a giant. The glare presented to him proved that his man wasn’t a blind seer.

“Oh. No, forgive me, I just wanted… to say hello --”

“Augustine? Don’t be rude. Who’s there?” The second voice belonged to a second man, not nearly as gruff as the first.

“I’m Grinpayne. I’m set up just across the path…  _ The Grinning Man _ ?”

“Ah, yes. Osric said you’d be arriving today.” The seer finally appeared. The first thing Grinpayne noticed was the man’s white hair.  _ It suits him. _

“You’ll have to forgive Augustine. We’re still working on being kind to strangers. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Dominic.” He held out his hand a little too far Grinpayne’s left, but he accepted the handshake. It was difficult to tell in the dim lighting of the tent, but the younger man’s skin was as white as his hair. It still suited him.

“I’ve never come across a blind seer before. If you don’t mind my asking, how does your act work?”

“It’s… difficult to explain. I can hear thoughts. They float around people’s heads.”

“So, you can tell what I’m thinking right now?”

“Not exactly. It’s the deeper thoughts and feelings, the things people tend to hide.”  _ Oh, this was a bad idea. _

“It must seem like a bunch of nonsense, I know.” Dominic continued.

“No, it doesn’t. I’ve seen a lot of bizarre and outright ridiculous roadside attractions, but yours -- makes sense. It’s not flashy.”

“You’ve seen so many?”

“I’ve been traveling for 20 years. I’ve seen enough to last a hundred lifetimes.”

“Hmm. I should like to travel. I’ve lived here my whole life. How come you’ve never come to Stokes-Croft before?”

“My father, Ursus, doesn’t like the capital..” Grinpayne had never met anyone as inquisitive as Dominic before. Everything in him was screaming to leave, to stop answering all these 

questions, but he found himself wanting to stay. There was something about Dominic that intrigued him, left him with a sinking-rock feeling in his stomach. But the feeling wasn’t entirely unpleasant.  _ What the hell is happening to me? _

“I… I should go,” Grinpayne muttered. He could also feel the nerves in his face begin to burn more.

“Of course,” Dominic replied, making his way to the table that sat at the back of the tent. “You should come by after the fair closes. Maybe I’ll read your palm.”

Grinpayne chuckled. “Su… Sure, yeah. Um, it was nice to meet you, both of you.” He spared a quick glance at Augustine, whose glare had remained just as sharp.

“Goodbye for now,” Dominic called with a smile as Grinpayne quickly exited the tent.

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“You’re back so quickly. What happened?” Ursus was busy mixing concoctions. On a good day, he could sell eight bottles.

“I, I need Crimson Lethe.” Grinpayne didn’t like drinking the medicine in public. It had led to too many questions before.

“Here.” Ursus dug the bottle out of his coat pocket and handed it to Grinpayne. “Take a little more than normal. I think we could do a couple of extra shows tonight.” Grinpayne nodded and swallowed capful after capful after capful until his face felt numb. With a relieved sigh, he put the bottle in his own pocket. Mojo slept in a corner.

“D’ya get a good look at the competition? Normally, I’m not worried, but this is the capital. We need to really stand out.”

“Not really. I think it helps that I’m a new attraction.”

“Then it’s a good thing we’re leaving before the novelty wears off.” Grinpayne was too numb to argue, but he still wanted to stay. He knew in his core that so much could be found here. There was something so familiar about the capital. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t been here before. Surely, he had… he… 

“Grinpayne, helped me unload the boxes. We have to make sure the marionette strings aren’t too tangled.” He would never admit it to Ursus, but he hated the puppet of him as a child. The eyes were too lifeless, too mocking. But the show must go on. Life must go on.

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The midnight bell signaled the close of the fair. Drunken stragglers, led by Osric, stumbled towards their homes. Or possibly another tavern, who really cares? Grinpayne was taking Mojo for a walk. The wolf had performed well, but he was smarter than most beasts. How else would the beast have led him to safety all those years ago?

Dominic’s tent came into view. Grinpayne knew he shouldn’t, but Dominic  _ had _ invited him.

“What do you say, Mojo? Shall we say hello? Come on, you’ll like him.” With a click of Grinpayne’s tongue. The wolf followed the Grinning Man into the Blind Seer’s tent.

“Hello? Dominic? It’s Grinpayne.” There was some scuffling before Dominic’s shape came into view.

“Hello.” Grinpayne could just make out the shorter man’s bright hair, but he wasn’t going to complain.

“Is there someone else with you?” Dominic continued. “It almost sounds -- like a dog.” Like others of his kind, Mojo was a heavy breather.

“Oh, it’s just my pet… wolf. His name is Mojo.”  _ Who has a pet wolf? He must think I’m mad. _

“That’s a nice name. Mojo… Oh God, you can’t see anything can you? Here, let me light a lamp.”

“Oh, really you don’t need to --” As Dominic placed a lamp on the table, he dug matches out of his pocket.

“Let me help.” Grinpayne knew Dominic wasn’t a child, but he didn’t want anyone getting hurt. The younger man’s hands were soft and surprisingly warm… and mesmerizing,

Grinpayne lit the lamp and was finally able to see Dominic clearly for the first time. His eyes were the lightest blue, and his cheekbones were sharp. If Grinpayne were the superstitious type, he’d wager that Dominic was some kind of fae. It would explain the … attraction Grinpayne felt, why he was drawn to this man. It couldn’t be anything else. Could it?

“So how did your show do? The first day is always the trickiest.”

“More people kept showing up as the night went on. I even think a prince, or a lord, or something came. And their reaction was… different than it usually is.”

“A good different, I hope.”

“I… I’m not sure yet. And you? Your night was successful?”

“Pretty average. About 100 people.”

“100 is average? You should tell me your secret.”

“Maybe. Or maybe not.”

Grinpayne chuckled dryly as he looked around the tent. Something was missing…  _ Where…? _

“Where’s your -- friend?” Grinpayne’s words were beginning to slur.

“Oh, Augustine? He was just visiting when you came by this afternoon. Osric is always sending someone to check on me. He’s a little overprotective.”

“Is he your brother, or…?” 

“Practically. He saved me, when I was a baby. Have you eaten? I have some bread and cheese.”  _ Who  _ **_is_ ** _ this person? _ Grinpayne watched Dominic navigate the tent. The way his hands danced across the tabletops reminded Grinpayne of flowing water. A single pinprick of pain in the taller man’s cheek pulled him out of his head.

Dominic returned to where he had previously been sitting with a purple kerchief. When he untied it, the most delicious smells filled the air. Had Dominic offered food to be polite, it could he really sense how hungry Grinpayne had been?

“I just realized I never asked what your act is.”

“Oh, uh, my father and I… we do puppet shows. And he makes these, uh, potions. Cures for -- everything. Colds, warts, once he made a potion to cure ingrown toenails.” Dominic’s laugh was so… him, clear and confident. Grinpayne nervously gnawed on the piece of bread he had been given.

“Puppets, huh? Tell me, what stories do you do?”

“None you would know. My father makes them all up.”

“What about  _ The Grinning Man _ ? That’s the name of your act, right?”

Grinpayne couldn’t be angry with him. He knew it would have come up eventually. He had been flirting with danger, and here they were. He wanted to run, but didn’t want to move.

“Um, it’s me. I’m the… Grinning Man.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pried.”

“No, no it’s fine. I… I have a smile cut in my face.”  _ Stop! What are you doing? Get out of here! _

“I imagine it hurts terribly.” More pinpricks of pain.

“I’ve learned to manage it.” Dominic smiled in response.

“Is Mojo hungry? I think I could find him a piece of sausage.” The wolf had practically been asleep, but perked up at the mention of his name and the prospect of food. Dominic’s hands once again danced and Grinpayne was once again intrigued.  _ Does he know how handsome he is? Surely someone’s told him. _

“Tell me, in your travels, have… have you ever been to the coast?” The smaller man seemed almost embarrassed to be asking.

“Yes. Many times.”

“What’s it like? The ocean? Osric says it’s practically like the river, but that doesn’t seem right.”

“The ocean is… big. It can seem calm one moment and violent the next. And endless. Just ocean as far as the eye can see.”  _ You idiot he  _ **_can’t_ ** _ see! _ Dominic seemed to ignore the comment.

“You don’t like it?” Grinpayne wasn’t entirely sure if it was a question or a statement. But it further proved that Dominic’s gift was real.

“I’m… a little scared of it, to be honest.”

“That seems reasonable. Something so vast…”

Grinpayne had been so enraptured with Dominic and their conversation that he had forgotten that the pain returned until it was too much to ignore. He tried to stifle a cry of pain, but Dominic still heard him.

“Are you all right?”

“Y-yes, it’s just a twinge. I n-- I need some of my medicine.” 

Grinpayne fumbled with his pockets searching for the little bottle, the one Ursus had made him take, but his hands couldn’t navigate the layers. Mojo, sensing his companion’s pain, sprung to attention. The wolf had been trained to retrieve the bottle whenever Grinpayne’s motor skills faltered. He gently grabbed the Crimson Lethe from where it lay in his master’s pocket and brought his jaw towards Grinpayne’s hands until the man was able to get his fingers around the glass. With shaking fingers, Grinpayne opened the bottle and downed half of it in a single gulp. The familiar wave of numbness spread, and the taller man breathed a sigh of relief.

Grinpayne was suddenly overcome with embarrassment and shame. Even though Dominic couldn’t see him, surely he could  _ feel _ how vulnerable he had just been. The last thing Grinpayne wanted from Dominic was pity.

I’m… I’m sorry for that. I’m -- usually more careful with taking my medicine.”

“I’m sorry, too,” Dominic replied. “I shouldn’t have been keeping you so long.”

“No!” Grinpayne cried. “You did nothing wrong. I like talking to you.”

“You’re good company to have, Grinpayne.” Dominic suddenly paused. His hands flexed repeatedly, his features focused.

“Is something the matter?” Grinpayne asked.

“Your thoughts were so loud before. And then they became so still… I’ve never heard thoughts quite like yours before. They  _ scorch _ the air around you.”

“Is -- that a good thing, or…?”

“It’s not good or bad. It’s just different,  _ unique _ .” Dominic looked fascinated. Grinpayne turned his apparently scorching thoughts to the man across from him and how perplexed by him he found himself.

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The two men spent the rest of the night talking. Grinpayne decided to tell the story of the bride who ate so much salt on her wedding day that when she ended up crying tears of joy, her tears were so salty that they burned whatever surface they landed on. And the story of the girl with hands so soft and white like doves. They laughed at each other’s jokes. And Dominic told more about how Osric saved him from the snow and ice. Grinpayne felt at peace for the first time in a long time.

When Grinpayne and Mojo finally returned to their cart, the sun’s first rays were showing. Dominic had sent the pair off with more food and a dazzling smile. Grinpayne wouldn’t admit it, but he was a little starstruck. This man had brought out unfamiliar feelings, so unfamiliar that Grinpayne couldn’t put a name to them. The only feelings he could recognize were the pinpricks of pain returning.

“Where the hell were you, boy? I was worried sick!” Ursus grabbed his son’s collar, pulling him close in a fatherly embrace.

“I -- I’m sorry. I was just across the path.  _ The Blind Seer _ , remember?”

“Hmm. You were out all night with a blind man?”

“Yes,” Grinpayne replied incredulously. Did Ursus really not believe him?

“I’m sorry, my boy. I shouldn’t have lost my temper. It’s just… easy to get lost in the capital. I don’t want you in any harm, is all.” Grinpayne noticed how odd his father was acting.  _ What is he hiding? Would Dominic be able to figure it out? _

“Take your medicine and get some sleep. We have a full day of performances ahead.” Grinpayne drank the remainder of the bottle in his pocket and fell asleep almost instantly.

The “Grinning Man” dreamt of stormy oceans, the man with the hidden face, and of Dominic.

**Author's Note:**

> So, the rating may or may not change, I haven't 100% decided. Follow @phantom-of-notre-dame-7 on tumbkr for updates and shenanigans.


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